Prepare to Flee from the Robot Soldier of Tomorrow

Here’s some surprising news about the war in Afghanistan: 1 in every 50 troops in the country is a robot. The use of robots in combat isn’t a new thing – consider the use of bomb-disposal robots or drone planes throughout the years – but according to CNN, there are also robots that exist just to get shot at, and robots that don’t need much human input to get the job done.

Yes, you read that right.

The X-47B, according to CNN, “requires almost no human interaction. It can take off and land by itself… It will be able to find its target by itself. The only thing it needs a carbon-based life form for is to let it know it’s OK to drop the bomb.” The terrifying almost-automated death machine flew its first test flight in February, and is expected to complete its three-year test program with sea trials in 2013 to demonstrate its ability to autonomously refuel in mid-flight. For those wondering at home, yes, this would probably be a great time to get a little unsettled. After all, we all know how easy it is to hack into military systems: